Marble propelled spinner game



y 2, 1967 J. A. DI MEO 3,317,210

MARBLE PROPELLED SPINNER GAME Filed Feb. 4, 1965 3 1 4L r-z James A. D MEo INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,317,210 MARBLE PROPELLED SPINNER GAM James A. Di Meo, 7329 Capistrano Ave., Canoga Park, Calif. 91304 Filed Feb. 4, 1965, Ser. No. 430,441 1 Claim. (Cl. 273-122 The invention herein described pertains to a toy or game, and more particularly to a device of this type in which pellets, preferably of a spherical configuration, are used.

In games of this general type, marbles or other spheres, often formed from metal, are expelled into an enclosed region, and the scoring is determined by the particular compartments into which the individual marbles or spheres ultimately fall or roll. In the game that is the subject ofthe present specification, the spheres are used only as pellets to be projected against arms or blades of a rotatable object, and the scoring is done by other means.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a game of the type described that may be given some semblance of relationship to other games, such as bowling, football, or even chess.

Another object is to provide a game of the type described that will be inexpensive to build and therefore low in retail price.

An additional object is to provide a game of the type described that will be durable and unlikely to get out of order.

This invention possesses many other advantages, and has other objects which may be made more clearly apparent from a consideration of an illustrative embodiment thereof. For this purpose, such an embodiment is shown in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. This embodiment will now be described in detail, illustrating the general principles of the invention; but it is to be understood that this detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claim.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view, partly broken away, of an illustrative embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a section taken substantially on line 22 of FIG. I; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged section or development showing in a flat plane a portion of the surface of a sphere that forms one element of the device, the characters imprinted thereon being associated with the scoring.

The presently preferred embodiment comprises a base having a post or tube 12 extending upward perpendicularly therefrom. A rotatable structure 43 is pivotally mounted above the top end of the rod or tube 12, one satisfactory manner of effecting this mounting being to. form the central upright member 12 definitely as a tube and to attach a stem 46 to the center of the underside of the saucer-shaped element 14, extending this stem into the aperture of the tubular post 12. The stem 46 may rest on the base 15 at the bottom end of the central recess in element 12, or alternatively, the under side of the saucer-like member 14 may rest upon a spacer or washer 47 surrounding the stem between the underside of member 14 and the top end of the tubular post 12. A second circular member 13 is superimposed above the saucerlike member 14 and fastened thereto by an intervening concentric cylindrical ring 16. Member 14 has a series of lugs or fins 38 projecting upward from the convex side thereof as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The upper member 13 of the rotatable assembly 43 extends outward almost to the outer wall 17 that surrounds the main circular body of the device, excepting 3,317,210 Patented May 2, 1967 for an opening 18, FIG. 1. There is just sufiicient clearance between the outer wall 17 and the circular member 13 to make certain that there is no interference.

Member 13 has a central depression 19 therein over which a ball 20 is positioned in a manner hereinafter to be described. This ball preferably rests on a shallow concave platform 21 mounted in the depression 19. The concave surface of this platform is so tilted that the ball, at least at certain times during the rotation of the strucure 43, will engage the large concavity 19 at an approximate location 22 located at or just inside the periphery or rim of the depression. The ball thus rests in an unstable condition.

A cap 23, normally spaced from the ball 20, is supported from above upon a bracket 24 whose lower end 45 is suitably attached to the peripheral wall 17 of the device.

The free end of bracket 24 extends beyond the cap 23 and is curved downward to terminate in a pointer 25 that is spaced from the ball.

A track or channelled member 26 extends around the base 15 just inside the peripheral wall 17. The track has an annular recess or channel all around its surface, this recess varying in depth from a shallow section 27 to a much deeper portion 44, substantially diametrically opposite from the shallow section 27 and adjacent the opening 18 in the wall. The deep portion 44 communicates through the opening 18 with an outwardly extending ramp 29 that forms a part of an elongated channelled member 30 from which a marble 31 or other spherical object may be expelled into the region between the circular member 13 and the saucer-like element 14 against the fins 38 that are integral with the inverted saucer. The means by which the marble is ejected will be explained after other structural features have been set forth.

In the presently preferred embodiment of the inventoin, the pellet-ejecting structure 30 is tubular and contains an apertured partition 34. A plunger 32 is journalled in the aperture of this partition and in the centrally apertured outer wall 49 of the cylinder or tubular member 30.

The outer end 49 of the tubular member is preferably at a lower level than the inner end 29 that adjoins the space 44 in the outer wall 17 of the device. This inclination enables a spherical pellet 31 to rest against the outer end 48 of the plunger 32, and inasmuch as the longitudinal axis of the tubular member 30 is not tangent to the periphery of the inverted saucer 14, but is directed rather toward the orbit of the fins 38, the rapid ejection of the pellet 31 will cause it to engage one of the fins 38 with suflicient force that the entire rotatable structure will r0- tate in a counterclockwise direction.

In order to effect this rapid ejection of the marble or pellet 31, a collar 35 is rigidly secured to the plunger 32, and a compression spring 36 expands between this collar and the end wall 49 of the cylindrical structure.

When the handle 33 is pulled outwardly, the collar 35 compresses the spring as the upper end 48 of the plunger is drawn toward or into the partition 34. The marble or spherical pellet 31, because of the inclination of the cylinder 30, will of course follow the end of the plunger. When the handle 33 of the plunger is released, the pellet 31 is forcefully ejected against such fin 38 as may be in its path.

The periphery of the inverted saucer member 14 overhangs the track member 26 so that as the marble pellet rolls from the top convex surface of the member 14 it will at all times be deposited somewhere in the groove or track 26. The varying depth of the groove is such that the spherical pellet will always roll by gravity toward the low spot 44 at the recess 18 in the outer wall 17 of the device. From there it of course rolls into the mouth 29 of the cylinder 30 where it comes into engagement with the end of the plunger, ready for the next ejection.

The top circular member 13 and the walls 17 are both preferably formed from transparent material so that the course of the marble or pellet may be Observed as it proceeds toward its impact with one of the lugs 38 and thence into the track 26 and back into the ejector 30.

If the device is being used as a game, the points scored by individual players is indicated by means of the ball 20 and the pointer 25. The surface of the ball is divided into a plurality of enclosures by lines or other markings that may be printed or formed in relief upon the ball. If lines at right angles are used, like the longitude and latitude lines on a globe, the enclosures will of course be rectangular, and if their sides are of substantially equal length, they will of course be square. However, the angles formed by the lines may be such that the enclosures would be triangular, hexagonal or of some other suitable configuration.

Within each of the enclosures, indices are formed either by printing or suitable embossing or other molding. If the game is to represent bowling, each enclosure may include one to ten replicas of a bowling pin, but mere numbers would suffice. Replicas of bowling pins may also be provided on the fins in the approximate positions where the fins are struck by the marbles that simulate bowling balls.

As the rotatable structure 43 spins around, the ball 20, because of the eccentric nature of its platform, may bounce up and down or sideways, and when it comes to rest the indicator 25 will point to a given enclosure, the identity of which will be determined largely by chance. If the game is to be scored somewhat after the manner of bowling, the number of bowling pins printed in the enclosure at which the indicator 25 is pointing will be the score of the player who shot the ball.

Obviously any number of players may participate, and the accumulated scores of each player may be recorded on a suitable blank.

Other indices of a totally different nature may of course be printed in the enclosures and on the fins, and the scoring may be made to conform to the particular game that is being simulated.

If the device is not sufficiently heavy in construction to prevent it from moving on the surface upon which it is resting when the operating handle 33 is pulled by one hand of the player, vacuum cups may be secured to the under side of the base or an immobilizing handle 50 may be provided in a position where it can easily be grasped 4 by the players other hand. The handle may be attached to the wall 17 of the device by any suitable means, such as the brackets 51.

Other modifications may be made not only in the game but also in the structure and nature of the components, and various parts may be rearranged or transposed or replaced by others performing substantially the same functions, or the same functions plus additional functions-all without departing from the broad spirit of the invention as succinctly set forth in the appended claim.

The inventor claims:

A sphere propelled spinner game including: a base; a structure mounted on said base for rotation in a horizontal plane, said structure comprising a first circular member having a convex upper surface with lugs extending upward therefrom and a second circular member disposed above said first member and connected thereto for rotation therewith, said second member having a central depression in its upper surface with a shallow platform mounted therein; means for projecting spheres into the space between said members and against said lugs for imparting rotation to said structure; a circular grooved track so disposed on said platform around said structure that spheres rolling from said second member will fall into the grooved track, said track sloping in both circular directions from a relatively high point to a relative low point to which said spheres may roll by gravity for retrieval; a peripheral wall surrounding said track and first member and approaching sufficiently close to said second member to prevent said spheres from escaping from the area surrounded by said wall; a ball resting upon said platform and having indicia thereon; a cap overhanging said ball; and indicator means fixed to said base, pointing toward said ball and spaced sufficiently therefrom and from said capto permit rotation or bouncing of the ball and thereby indicate a score when the ball comes to rest.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,699,131 1/ 1929 Bouehard 273-101 2,546,775 3/1951 Olson 27312l FOREIGN PATENTS 923,862 2/1947 France.

ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, L. J. BOVASSO,

Assistant Examiners. 

